Knitting needie



Sept. 22, 1931; A. c. PARLINI 1,824,445

KNITTING NEEDLE Filed July 3 1929 Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDER C. PARLINI, OF WOODSIDE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOTHAM KNITBAC MACHINE CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE KNITTING NEEDLE Application filed July 3,

This invention relates to knittinq needles adapted to be manipulated by hand, or in a machine for repairing runs in knitted fabrics such as hosiery and more particularly relates to the latch construction of such a type of needle.

One of the difficulties heretofore encounteredin the use of knitting needles for repairing runs in fabric has been the failure 19 of the latch member to remain in its retracted or open position When thrown upwardly during the time when the needle 1s descending by the engagement thereagamst of a cross thread of the run being repaired. Often it occurs, that after the latch has been thrown upwards into its open position, it is displaced prematurely. from its retracted position by the movement of the needle on its next ascending stroke and this displace- 2; ment interferes with the proper operation of the needle and is apt to cause the latch to pierce or sever the next cross thread of the run.

It has been the practice heretofore to employ a spring mounted in the shank of the needle to act against the latch when it is thrown into open position to retain or hold it in such position until it is forced to closed osition byv the action of the thread but requently these springs bind or fail to function properly and the latch becomes displaced from its open position before the needle has encompassed the next thread of the run.

present invention to provide a latch mem her, for a needle of the above type which is so constructed that when said latch is thrown upwardly to its retracted or open position on a downward stroke of the needle, a portion of the latch will wedge slightly in the slot of the needle so that it is positively held in its open position until it is forced downwardly by the thread on the following upward movement or stroke of said needle.

A further object of the invention is to so construct said latch member that when it has been moved from the shank a sufficient distance out from its open position by the It is among the specific objects of my Serial No. 375,657.

action of the thread it will drop readily and quickly to closed position thus allowing the stitehto drop over the end of the needle.

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention resides substantially in the structure hereinafter described, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawin s:

Figure 1. is an enlarged View in side elevation of a needle constructed in accordance with my invention showing the latch member in open position in full lines and in partial open position in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same showing the latch in full open position;

F ig. 3 is a similar view showing the latch 'in closed position;

'Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the 70 lat-ch member;

Fig. 5-. is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 6 isa plan view of the latch member looking at the said latch from the underside thereof.

The needle shown in the drawings coniprises a shank portion 1 whichterminates at one end in the hook 2. If the needle is operated by hand the shank 1 is secured to a suitable handle (not shown) so that it can be more readily operated. In case the needle is used in a run repairing machine the shank is secured in the usual manner to the needle bar thereof. 1

The shank portion 1 is provided with a slot 3 which is adapted to receive the latch 4. The latch 4 is pivotally secured within the slot by means of a pivot pin 8.

The major portion or fin 5 of the latch member (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) is formed so as to be substantially narrower than the slot 3 in the shank and so that its motion around the pivot pin 8 will be free when the latch is pivoted in said slot. Adjacent the hood portion 6 of the latch, there is provided a thickened portion 7 which is of such a width with respect to the width of the slot 3 that when the latch is forced to its open position by a tread of the run being repaired, on a downward stroke of the needle, the portion 7 will wedge slightly in the slot and thereby keep the latch in open position.

The slight resistance caused by the wedging action of the portion 7 of the latch in the slot when a thread forces the latch upwards is also evident when the latch is closed by said thread on the next upward stroke of the needle. On the upward stroke of the needle the resistance offered by the latch by reason of this Wedge construction causes a retarding of the closing of the latch until the hook portion of the needle is in a position well surrounding the next cross thread of the run being repaired and the latch will not drop into closed position prematurely.

It will be noted that the thickened portion 7 of the latch member being positioned adjacent the hood 6 will cause the latch to drop readily and quickly to closed position as soon as the thread forces the latch sufliciently out of it open position. This fact allows the stitch formed of the thread to drop over the end of the needle at the proper time.

It will be understood that the force produced by the thread on the latch to accomplish the wedging action of the enlarged or thickened portion of the fin is the same force as required of the thread to dislodge the latch from its wedged position on the upward stroke of the needle so that threads of different degrees of texture or strength will produce corresponding degrees of wedging of the latch in the slot of the shank. In other words, the latch would not be wedged in the slot of the shank as far with a lighter thread as with a heavier one.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A run repair needle having a slotted shank portion and a hook shaped end portion, in combination with a latch member pivotally secured at one end in'the slotted shank portion and cooperating at its free end with the tip of the hook shaped end portion, said latch member being formed with a fin terminating in a hood at the free end thereof, said fin being of a substantiall narrower widtlr than the slot of the shan 3. A run repair needle having a slotted shank portion and ahook shaped end portion, in combination with a latch member pivotally secured at one end in the slotted shank portion and cooperating at its free end with the tip of the hook shaped end ortion, said latch member comprising a hooded head with an enlarged portion adjacent thereto and a narrowed fin extending from said enlarged portion, said enlarged portion being of suflicient width to frictionally engage the walls of the slotted shank portion when the latch is in open position to thereby retard its movement.

4. A latch member for a run repair needle comprising a head portion with a cavity therein and wedging enlargements thereon adjacent said head portion for retarding the closing of the latch, and a narrowed fin extending from said enlargements for pivotally engaging the shank of said repair needle.

5. A latch member for a run repair needle with a slotted shank, comprising a fin terminating in a hooded head portion, said fin being of greater thickness adjacent the hooded head for frictionally engaging and wedging the slotted ortion of said needle shank when the late is in extended open position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 29th day of June, A. D.

ALEXANDER C. PARLIN I.

for a greater part of its length and having I an enlarged thickened portion adjacent the hood whereby the closing of the latch is retarded.

2. A run repair needle having a slotted shank portion and a hook shaped end portion, in combination with a latch member pivotally secured at one end in the slotted 

